


Giggles, Tickles and Mumbled Love Confessions

by meloingly



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Established Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, Soft Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:06:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28814622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meloingly/pseuds/meloingly
Summary: Carlos is pretty sure he's as relaxed and happy as he can possibly get. He's had an easy shift, and a hot shower afterwards. He's on his sofa, wearing the fluffiest socks, the warmest sweatpants, and the comfiest hoodie. He's got puffy pillows and fuzzy blankets. There's lasagna in the oven, and "The Old Guard" is paused on the TV. And the man of his dreams has just popped through the front door right then.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 12
Kudos: 85
Collections: Carlos Reyes Week 2021





	Giggles, Tickles and Mumbled Love Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> Carlos Week Day 1, the prompt, my personal favourite; "I love you, but stop talking" + _**FLUFF**_
> 
> Thank you to the magnificent [Lire-Casander](https://lire-casander.tumblr.com/) for helping me with the outline and the amazing beta work (I LOVES YOU)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters depicted, they belong to their creators. I'm writing just for the fun of it.

Carlos is pretty sure he's as relaxed and happy as he can possibly get. He's had an easy shift, and a hot shower afterwards. He's on his sofa, wearing the fluffiest socks, the warmest sweatpants, and the comfiest hoodie. He's got puffy pillows and fuzzy blankets. There's lasagna in the oven, and "The Old Guard" is paused on the TV. And the man of his dreams has just popped through the front door right then.

TK opens the door, work bag slung over his shoulder. His gaze is focused on the floor as he sets his duffle down and steps out of his shoes to arrange them by the shoe cabinet. Carlos can't help but notice the slick shine of TK's hair, a remnant of a shower TK must have taken before showing up to their apartment.

TK stands up then, stretching his arms over his head, chest expanding and abdomen flexing. The thin sliver of skin that appears under his shirt attracts Carlos' eyes. He gets so focused on the image of the pale skin - and all the marks he knows are hiding higher - that he doesn't realise TK has moved till he concentrates back on… a crotch… right in front of him.

He wipes his head up, wide eyes meeting TK's amused ones and massive smile. 

"I- hi, he-hello!" he stutters, and TK's grin widens. His hand comes up to lay down on Carlos' damp curly hair.

"Hello, baby," TK breathes out.

That brings a smile to Carlos' face, even if he is feeling slightly embarrassed. And when TK bends for a kiss, Carlos finds that his embarrassment has diffused and he's left smiling too.

TK straightens then, moving away from Carlos, telling him he's going to change. Carlos gets up after him and heads to the kitchen, getting the lasagna and side dishes ready on plates and transporting them to the coffee table. By the time he's done and back on the sofa, TK is walking out of the bedroom. He stops by the threshold of the living room, hands crossed over his arms, and a teasing glint in his eyes.

Carlos looks up at TK, that sparkle making him both wary and giddy. TK doesn't pay his internal battle much heed, he looks at Carlos' twisted and crossed-legged form instead. Carlos looks down at himself too. Finding nothing out of order, he looks up at TK again and finds him focused on his face. He's about to breach the silence when TK beats him to it.

"So, what did I do to deserve this gift?"

"The… lasagna? I've cooked that before, it's not that speci-"

"Not the food, Carlos," TK interrupts him halfway through his explanation.

A confused look manifests on Carlos' face as he tries to rack his mind for what the other man could mean. When his thinking yields him nothing, he looks back at TK, the question clear in his expression. TK doesn't do much except soften a tad, lick his lips, and then mumble, "You."

Carlos feels the effects of the word and the implications behind it immediately. He feels the blood rush to his face and swears he can feel it spreading down his neck. His shoulders curl in, his knees come up, and he finds himself hiding his head between his legs before he can process the action.

TK giggles, and Carlos hears the soft padding of TK's socked feet on the wooden floor, before they get dampened even further by the carpet. He feels the sofa dip under TK's weight. And then he feels a kiss on his temple. He's about to relax and let his contracted muscles go when TK speaks up.

"Oh, I like the blush."

That sends Carlos' body on another hiding fit, something he realises his consciousness has no control over. He twists, grabbing one of the blankets that are slung on the backrest as he goes, and ends up curled on his side with half of his body covered.

TK moves with him, laughing as Carlos cowers under the flimsy fabric armour. Carlos doesn't pay him much attention, he just tucks his head deeper into the cocoon. TK shifts on top of him, and then his hands find a hole in the shield and land on Carlos' stomach.

They don't move much after that. Carlos' inhale fitting right under TK's exhale. TK's hands keep caressing Carlos' stomach and sides. The smell of the food waving through the air and surrounding them with warmth and that amazing feel of _home_. 

TK starts to press kisses into whatever skin he can get to. Starting with the side of Carlos' arm, and then moving up to a stretch of his neck that didn't make it under the blanket. Carlos starts to relax again, but as the saying goes "fool me twice shame on me", he surely does feel the shame when he gets fooled a second time. TK gets to the highest visible point of his neck, and then says "You're pretty."

Carlos doesn't react in any way that he thinks is normal to that. He whines, turning his head further away from TK's mouth. But that doesn't deter TK.

"You're so beautiful."

Just like before, Carlos whines again, and brings his knees higher to his chest, TK's arms now held hostage between his thighs and stomach.

"You're the kindest soul I've ever gotten to know."

Carlos frowns, not that anyone can see it from under his blanket-helmet, and brings his arms up over his ears, hoping to dull the intensity of the voice and how it makes him feel. 

TK doesn't speak for a while, the only sound that Carlos hears through his hand-muffs is his own breathing. He moves his hands just a tad, and then, out of nowhere, there comes a tickle.

Carlos jerks, a high-pitched whine escaping his throat as he holds onto TK's arms. TK takes the action to stick his face right beside Carlos' ear.

"The best thing to ever happen to me."

Carlos lets go of TK's forearms, hands running up to cover his ears again. And TK uses the freedom to tickle Carlos again. Which makes Carlos whine, again, and hold TK's arms. And then TK speaks into his ear.

"My strong man."

It's only then that Carlos realises what TK is doing. He can either protect his sides or his ears. And TK knows that. He lets out an obviously fake, grumbled cry, which makes TK laugh out loud before he keeps on going.

"You're magnificent, you're amazing, you're wonderful."

Carlos isn't sure what he's trying to do, but he twists anyway, trying to get away from the words or the hands. He doesn't succeed in doing either. He feels TK shift. If he were paying attention, he would have realised that TK had fixed his stance and was now bracing one knee on the sofa, and the other foot solid on the ground. 

But Carlos isn't. He doesn't until he hears TK say "I want you forever" at the same time that he gets tickled. He's about to protest, ask why he's getting tickles and words together when TK breaks all hells loose. And keeps on doing both.

Carlos jerks again, legs kicking out, hands trying to catch TK's, and endless aborted giggles and gasped laughs leaving his mouth. They do nothing to stop TK. He keeps moving his hands, going from right under his ribs, to the front of his stomach, to around his navel. A nipple gets a pinch at one point too. 

And as if the physical assault wasn't enough, TK doesn't stop talking either, his words marked with a noisy peck on any patch of skin he can reach. 

“Marvelous.” Kiss.

“Soft.” Kiss.

“Forever,” kiss, “caring,” kiss.

“Love.” Kiss.

“Inspiring,” kiss, “terrific,” kiss.

“Kind.” Kiss.

“Fantastic,” kiss, “selfless,” kiss.

When he repeats forever a second time, Carlos hasn’t even caught half of them, but the plethora of compliments still stuns him. It pulls out short breathless no's out of him, mixed with rapid shakes of his head.

He's pretty sure they get drowned in his own grumbles and in TK's laughs though.

Eventually, after what must be no more than two minutes later but has felt like an hour to Carlos, TK stops the tickles and his hands leave his body altogether. Carlos opens his eyes and instantly registers four things.

First, that his safety fort has been kicked right off himself and the sofa. Second, that he's on his back. Third, that he's being straddled by TK. And fourth -and most importantly- that TK is holding both of his hands over his head.

Carlos looks up at TK, his wide eyes shining with shock while TK's glisten with playful ribbing, and under it all, love and adoration. TK replies with a smile, bending at the waist, and then turning to get to his ears again.

Carlos braces, knowing words are coming. He can't explain why he's having such a strong reaction tonight. He likes being complimented, especially by TK. But he's overly relaxed and emotionally vulnerable tonight, and each phrase goes straight to his soul. It's making him feel seen, appreciated, loved, precious. And it's getting overwhelming in a way he isn't used to.

"I love you," is all TK ends up saying.

Carlos can't stop the smile that takes over his face, no matter how hard he tries. He ends up with a grin that matches TK's.

**_"I love you, but stop talking."_ **

TK laughs again, a long, loud laugh. One that's coming deep from his chest and has him throwing his head back, neck left bare and exposed. Carlos inadvertently finds himself laughing too. Before he knows it, TK is letting go of his hands and he collapses on his chest, hands wrapping his torso to hug him. Carlos brings his hands low, and hugs TK back, holding tightly onto the man.

"Hey, Carlos?" TK mumbles a few moments later, cheek half pressed into Carlos' chest. Carlos hums in reply.

"You know I meant everything I said, right?"

Carlos takes a deep breath. He feels TK lift his head, and lay his chin on his chest instead. Carlos looks down at TK, at the man he loves, and a shy smile comes on. He sees TK's eyes move down to linger on his lips before they look up at him again. 

He knows he's being ridiculous. There's no reason for him to flush and get flustered. But it still happens. And he finds himself turning away from the intensity of TK's gaze.

TK shuffles higher, pressing a kiss into Carlos' exposed cheek, offering him silent comfort, then lays his head on Carlos' collarbone, giving him all the time he needs.

"I know… I don't doubt that, ever," Carlos says, taking another breath. "It's just a lot."

TK seems to take a moment to ponder over his words, before asking, "How come?"

And that, Carlos knows the answer to that. He thinks he's known he'd be led here that day under the rain almost two years ago when he caught sight of the new green-eyed New York firefighter.

"No one has ever loved me the way you do. And I haven't loved anyone the way I love you."

The confession is mumbled, but TK hears it all the same, if the smile pressed into the crook of his neck is anything to go by.

"I feel the same, you know. I didn't even know love could feel this way till I met you."

Carlos is sure that no words will convey how he feels about that, so he cranes his neck and claims TK mouth instead. They exchange soft kisses, never meant to go beyond just sweet, little pecks that seek a connection.

They stay there, trading lazy kisses and affirmations of love till Carlos' stomach lets out a mean grumble. TK snickers at the sound, but moves all the same, allowing Carlos to shuffle up to support his back on the armrest of the sofa, while TK turns around to lay his back on Carlos' chest. 

They grab the slightly cold lasagna, not that they really mind, and the side dishes, dumping a decent load on each of their plates, before they somehow find a position comfortable enough to eat, watch the movie and stay nestled into each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1 DONE!
> 
> Comments are appreciated. The door for constructive criticism is always open.


End file.
